Robert Todd
Brigham Young University

Christopher Mattson
Brigham Young University

Gregg Warnick
Brigham Young University

Ryan Dymock
Brigham Young University

Ryan Dymock is currently a senior studying Mechanical Engineering at Brigham Young University. He hopes to steer his career in the direction of robotics and automation, and so far has had 3 internships with different manufacturing companies. His extracurricular studies at BYU have included wind tunnel testing air foils for VTOL aircraft, building a Fatigue Tester and CAD simulation for components of the BYU formula car, being the TA for the Advanced Robotics class, as well as mentoring his 6th grade robotics team to 1st place in their district wide competition. He currently lives in Provo, Utah with his wife, Leah, and his 18 month old daughter Samantha. Samantha has been a good sport in dealing with both parents concurrently seeking degrees from BYU, both graduating in April of 2009.

NOTE: The first page of text has been automatically extracted and included below in lieu of an abstract

Since ABET 2000, numerous engineering programs have initiated industrially-sponsored Senior
Capstone courses designed to better prepare students for the practice of engineering. Brigham
Young University initiated an industrially sponsored Capstone program in 1990. Since 1990, BYU
student teams have completed more than 500 of these projects.

Project teams in Capstone courses have been formed using a variety of methods. At BYU, student
test results from the Herrmann Brain Dominance, FIRO B, and other tests have been used to form
teams. The intent has been to create diversity of thinking among team members to provide a better
learning experience for the students and better project results than would be obtained if diversity in
team formation was not sought. After team formation, each team has been assigned an industrially-
sponsored project.

Beginning in 2008, teams were formed in a way similar to previous semesters and then invited to
take part in a 'bidding' process for the 27 industrially sponsored projects. This bidding process was
initiated as an experiment in an effort to foster increased ownership for project success among
team members and as an initial exercise to foster familiarity between team members and to start
working together immediately.

This paper presents preliminary results of this new approach, including survey results from
Capstone students who were involved in the bidding process and those from alumni currently
pursuing graduate degrees at Brigham Young University who in previous years had their Capstone
projects assigned without being involved in bidding. Comparisons are drawn between the two
groups. Advantages and disadvantages are noted and recommendations are given.

Introduction

Capstone courses have become a widespread culminating experience in undergraduate engineering
programs across the United States. The achievement of capstone course outcomes is often based
on the premise that students most effectively learn design by active engagement in and application
of previous learning to 'real open-ended', design problems. These courses have become largely
universal as a result of engineering programs seeking to better meet the needs of industry and
accreditation requirements specified with the advent of ABET 20001,2.

The Chronicle of Higher Education recently cited much of the motivation for developing capstone
courses in engineering programs. "The National Science Foundation, the National Academy of
Engineering, and others have been warning for at least two decades that American engineering
education is too theoretical and not hands-on enough," and a "new Carnegie report...reinforces
those warnings.” The report indicates "that a widespread emphasis on theory over
practice...discourages many potential students while leaving graduates with too little exposure to
real-world problems and ethical dilemmas." While "millions of dollars" have been offered
"through a coalition of universities to try to break up old styles of teaching," many schools "still